Elie hopes he can come home againEx-Rocket interviews for head coach job

JONATHAN FEIGEN, Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle |
April 27, 2011

Mario Elie kissed off the Suns and their fans after making the game-winning 3-pointer in Game 7 in the 1995 playoffs.

Though in many ways Mario Elie never left Houston, he met with the Rockets’ front office on Wednesday determined to “come home.”

Elie, who has kept his home in Houston since his days with the franchise’s Clutch City-era teams, interviewed for the Rockets’ vacant head coaching position on Wednesday, saying he is ready to recapture the successes from his playing days here.

“I’m very excited,” Elie said. “I like their commitment to winning and bringing back the success of the championship years.

“We knocked it around for quite a bit, about three to four hours. Those guys are very sharp. They know what they want. I had a good time with these gentlemen.”

Elie, who played five seasons with the Rockets before finishing his career in San Antonio and Phoenix, has been an assistant with the Spurs, Warriors and Kings.

While Elie hopes to return to the Rockets, Rockets assistant coach Jack Sikma interviewed for the position hoping to stay.

“I feel good about it,” said Sikma, an assistant on Rick Adelman’s staff the past four seasons. “I’m in more of a unique situation. I approach it as an opportunity to interview for a head coaching position. I thought it was a good exchange.”

Elie also has been a candidate with Charlotte and Golden State. He said much of his session with general manager Daryl Morey, vice president for player personnel Gersson Rosas and vice president for basketball operations Sam Hinkie was to get to know one another and for him to explain his “basketball philosophies.”

“These guys know what they want,” Elie said. “They’re going to take their time. A lot of guys will be coming through.

“They want a guy who knows the game, emphasize a little defense and developing players. … They are knowledgeable about the game. It’s a great job, a great city and a very good team. I feel very privileged and humbled to be interviewed.”